No Way To Dribble

February 15, 2014|Letter to the editor

I hope no boys or girls learning the game of basketball see the picture on the front page of the Sports section Monday of Shabazz Napier with his palm clearly under the ball during a dribble [Feb. 10, "Having Fun With Thei Game"]. I can only hope that the whistle blew and palming or double dribble was called so that any boy or girl watching would know this is not how you are allowed to dribble.

I can also hope the picture does not tell the true story and Napier was pulling up his dribble and about to shoot or pass, but I doubt it. It's bad enough the NBA has long ignored this violation, but if we are going to keep the game somewhat in its original form and not let the skills required to be compromised, the rules have to be enforced.

Napier is truly talented but if that was the only picture I ever saw of him playing I might think otherwise. I think James Naismith would think the same.